Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brownsville, Crown Heights, East Flatbush, Flatbush, Kensington, Midwood, Prospect Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Park Slope) went to the Shiloh Seventh-day Adventist Church, 449 Eastern Parkway to speak to the local immigrant community about how to protect themselves and other members in the community against possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids to arrest and deport undocumented immigrants.
President Donald Trump announced ICE would begin making the raids at major urban centers to last Sunday, July 14.
The law currently allows the federal government to deport certain immigrants including anyone without lawful immigration status, and those with the lawful status that have certain criminal convictions whether they be pending or in the past.
Clarke spoke to constituents of the community and voiced her disappointment and disgust in the President’s decision to carry out the raids.
“I am disgusted that Donald Trump has issued ICE raids across 10 of our nation’s largest cities, including New York City, to begin on Sunday. These ICE Raids are nothing more than a bigoted strategy that terrorizes more than 2,000 immigrants and will cause the separation of even more families,” said Clarke.
“Trump’s immigration policies are inhumane and reflect the darkest parts of our history–this must come to an end. I vow to remain a leader in Congress who is working to protect our beloved immigrant community while resisting Donald Trump and I encourage immigrants within New York’s Ninth Congressional District to contact my office to understand their rights,” she added.
The Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs reported two unsuccessful raids in Sunset Park.
The Immigration Defense Project has been monitoring ICE arrests in the community in an effort to secure fairness and justice for all immigrants in the United States. Their group fights to put an end to mass deportation through interconnected strategies that attack communities across the nation. They do so by providing expert advice, challenging unfair laws through impact litigation and shaping policies through advocacy.
There are several fact sheets that have been created in an effort to protect individuals who are approached by a Federal Immigration Enforcement Agent.
One can be found at https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/immigrants/downloads/pdf/know-your-rights-in-ICE-interactions-MOIA-flyer.pdf . For those who may have questions about their safety or information about raids in their neighborhood, you can contact The Action NYC Hotline at 1.800.354.0365.
